


Local Swordsman Gets Into A Fight. What's New?

by serpentineshadows



Series: in a world, on your own [4]
Category: One Piece, ゴールデンカムイ | Golden Kamuy (Manga)
Genre: Fights, Fluff, Gen, No Spoilers, Not Canon Compliant, POV Roronoa Zoro, Short One Shot, but don't worry this is very much, contrary to the title this is not crack, hijikata is not mentioned by name bc ...zoro pov, however, in that this is set some arbitrary point after wano & pre-canon? for golden kamuy, oh yeah Zoro has a Devil Fruit in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:27:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25314553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serpentineshadows/pseuds/serpentineshadows
Summary: Zoro's Devil Fruit still gives him trouble. At least he gets some fights out of it.
Relationships: minor Monkey D. Luffy & Roronoa Zoro
Series: in a world, on your own [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1222733
Kudos: 17





	Local Swordsman Gets Into A Fight. What's New?

**Author's Note:**

> probably would make sense to read parts 1 & 2 ([ _abstracted_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17086505) and [_can't part the sea_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19390849)) of this series to get the whole background, but basically, zoro has a devil fruit, it's dimension-traveling, and he does not know how to use it properly yet. 
> 
> golden kamuy is not _required_ to understand what's going on bc this is a fic that's prob more satisfying/makes more sense if you're a fan of op, but it's a fun (if...um, weird) show! also its been a while, so genuinely unsure what hijikata was doing pre-canon, but ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

In one moment, Zoro’s napping on the beach, somewhat aware of the muggy heat and Luffy’s laughter in the distance, and in the next—

He’s lying on something ice-cold, almost painful against his bare skin. His eye snaps open: it’s snowing. Zoro instantly sits up, taking in his surroundings. It’s a white winter wonderland, and no one’s around. He sighs. Having a Devil Fruit that you haven’t fully mastered yet _sucks._

Luckily, Zoro still has all three swords on him. Unluckily, his coat, even after being pulled on properly, does nothing to stop the cold from seeping into his bones, and there’s no one he can slice to pieces or question anyway. So, Zoro gets to be cold and lost (a feeling that is becoming uncomfortably familiar the longer he’s had this damned Devil Fruit), cursing the fact that he doesn’t yet know how to use his power to return to his crew.

Zoro decides to do the next best thing: walk in a random direction until he eventually hits civilization, or his Devil Fruit does its thing and plops him back home.

Zoro’s plan pays off because it doesn’t take too long before he stumbles across someone. _Finally,_ something to take him away from unpleasant reminders of Punk Hazard.

The snow obscures Zoro’s sight, but he sees what’s important. Long silver hair, mostly obscured. Sword at his hip. A hunched back that screams helpless in a way that rings false, like the old man’s a wolf trying on sheep’s clothing. Perfect; his everything feels frozen stiff, but Zoro will never turn down a fight. 

His hand drops to Wado Ichimonji. Maybe most wouldn’t notice, but he hopes the other takes it as a threat. If there’s one upside to his Devil Fruit, it’s that it gives him access to fights and experiences he would never otherwise have.

“Who are you?” the old man asks, his voice shaky. Frightened, even. Zoro’s not fooled; there’s tension in the old man’s stance—in his sword arm and legs—that’s a man prepared to fight, not run.

In the end, Zoro’s the one that makes the first move because the old man insists on clinging to his facade. Which is broken the instant the man shifts to defend himself: fluid, no unnecessary movements, and Wado Ichimonji clashes with the other’s sword, swiftly unsheathed.

“I hope you won’t regret attacking me,” the old man says as they break apart, and his real voice is chilling. Deep, heavy with the weight of his experiences, and gravelly, like his vocal cords have been damaged. Zoro dodges a swipe, only to almost leap into the path of a bullet. The gunshot is loud, betraying the old man’s sneak attack, but Zoro twists, managing to avoid it in time.

Zoro smirks, undeterred by the close call. So the man's confidence is backed by skill, after all. And: dual-wielding with a shitty sword and a gun. _Fascinating._ In response, Zoro draws Sandai Kitetsu, which has been dying for the old man’s blood this whole time. The old man is undaunted by the change, adapting seamlessly to Zoro’s new style of attack.

Zoro’s blood sings, and he can’t help his grin— _demonic,_ he’s been told, whatever that means—as he presses forward, their pace quickening. Slash, dodge, a quick stab as he rolls, defend. The old man keeps up, matching Zoro’s every step.

They both get cuts in, but they’re minor. Zoro hasn’t suffered any gunshot wounds yet, and the blood from the cut on his forehead just feels like thicker sweat. It's bitterly cold, but he's burning up. Sandai Kitetsu is calling for _more,_ and Zoro has no reason not to oblige.

Dodging a slash that feels like it comes out of nowhere from his left, Zoro lunges for the man’s neck with Sandai Kitetsu. The gun’s pressed against his chest, a metal warning, as he tries to defend with Wado Ichimonji. Still— _danger,_ his instincts scream, arm straining to reach the old man's neck faster than he can press down on the trigger, the blade whistling through the air music to his ears—

And the sun’s pounding down on his head, sand unsteady beneath his feet. Zoro’s heartbeat slows. Blood flows sluggishly down his face. The excitement of a _good_ fight is gone. A disappointing end to the encounter, which is all his Devil Fruit ever seems to give him. Zoro frowns. If he gets to explore other dimensions on his own, he might as well get to _stay_ long enough to make the most of it, or else what’s the point. Sure, there’s the off chance that “you’ll never be able to return home,” as Robin likes to warn ominously once in a while, but— 

“Welcome back!” Luffy greets, popping up in front of him. His smile is radiant. Like there were no doubts that Zoro would be back. Then, Luffy's eyes seem to catch on Zoro's forehead. His face scrunches up: the look on his face is stormy, a cloud passing over the sun. "You got hurt." Then, "Go see Chopper."

Zoro lowers his swords, sheathes them. “Uh huh,” he says, unnecessarily. It doesn't matter; Luffy's already half-turned away, back to whatever he was doing earlier. Trust, that Zoro will do what he's been told.

So Zoro lets Chopper fuss over him, even though he's not in pain. Once that's done, he lays back down in the sand, ready to resume his nap. The crew likes to joke that a dimension-traveling power is dangerous, combined with his uncanny ability to get lost (debatable). And maybe it is, but.

He’d never get too lost to return home.

**Author's Note:**

> taking a slight break from my youtuber au to provide unnecessary additional content to my devil-fruit!zoro au which already served its purpose of being an excuse to write a crossover w/ bnha lol + temporarily replacing my parentheses problem w/ an em-dash one
> 
> i just woke up wanting to write this cause ive been sitting on the idea for almost 2 years? at this point. sorry for the lack of golden kamuy, but i just feel really strongly about luffy & zoro friendship ok, that made this longer than intended for a short lil drabble


End file.
